Sukra Rai opened a four-stroke lead in the penultimate round of the Surya Nepal Central Open at the Gokarna Golf Club in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Rai carded four-under 68 for the 54-hole total score of 11-under 205 to better his overnight lead of two-stroke. Bhuwan Nagarkoti, who played three-under 69, is behind Rai for a total of seven-under 209.

Rabi Khadka played a card of one-under 71 and is third at five-under 211. Amateur Subash Tamang, the 13th South Asian Games twin gold medallist, dropped two spots to overall fourth after a card of one-over 73 for a total of four-under 212.

Rame Magar is fifth at even-par 216 after a third round score of three-over 75. Amateur Sadbhav Acharya is sixth overall with the score of two-over 218. He carded one-under 71. Niraj Tamang played two-over 74 and is seventh with the total score of five-over 221.

Dhana Bahadur Thapa scored even-par 72 for a total score of seven-over 223 to remain in eighth position. Jayaram Shrestha (71), Surya Prasad Sharma and Ramesh Adhikari (73) are tied on ninth with 10-over 226.

Rai carded three-under 33 in the front nine in his bogey free round that included birdies in third, seventh and ninth holes. After taking the turn, he birdied in the 11th hole for one-under 35.

Nagarkoti started with a bogey in the first hole but amended it with birdies in the second, third and ninth holes for two-under 34. In the back nine, he made a birdie in the 17th hole for one-under 35. Khadka played two-under 34 in the front nine with birdies in the third and fourth holes but played one-over 37 after taking the turn with a bogey in the 14th hole.

The tournament, third under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022-23, features 39 professional golfers and 19 amateurs. The event carries a purse of Rs775,000, with the winner walking away with Rs135,000.